5 stars

This show has been breaking hearts with its tragic love story for 50 years.

Now the brilliant musical, inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, gets an anniversary facelift.

This production, which won rave reviews when it played Sadlers Wells, is faithful to the original Broadway classic which was produced, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Here Joey Mckneely does the honours with a vibrant young company so that the show comes up as bright and shiny as a new silver dollar.

The setting, of the New York tenements in and around which the rival Jets and Sharks gangs wage their bloody warfare, is magnificent.

The dancing is perfection – from the Shark girls' sexy and sassy America to the Jets boys' inventive and funny Gee, Officer Krupke and the moving vision of peace with the company all in white.

And those great numbers (music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim) are all delivered with enormous style, Daniel Koek leading the way as Tony, the Romeo who falls hopefully in love with Sofia Escobar's pretty-as-a-doll Maria the moment he sees her. There's a real sensual chemistry between this couple.

Celia Mei Rubin made a sizzling Anita, with Dan Burton and Howard Jones as the fit and feuding Bernardo and Riff.

Just one little quibble: some of the hairstyles and costumes look too modern for the 1950s.

*This 50th anniversary world tour is at the New Wimbledon Theatre until November 1.

Diana Eccleston